What is Sexual Diversity?

There are many ways to define one’s orientation, and our glossary will help you understand the main terms used

The sexually diverse teenagers of Quintana Roo are known to come out of the closet during carnival week in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. During the carnival, men dress up as women and women as men! For some, it is the only time of the year when they can fully express themselves and let themselves go.

So, what is sexual diversity? It is a term referring to one’s sexual orientation. In 2017, we have many different words to describe someone’s sexual preference or gender. A couple of decades ago, heterosexuality was mainly the only orientation that Mexicans would recognize. Here are a few descriptions to help you understand the people around you:

Gender Identity:Personal conception of who one is as a gendered being, the gender one identifies with.

LGBTQ:Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning. (There are other letters also used, but this is the most common one.)

Heterosexual/Straight: Sexually attracted to the opposite sex.

Note that a transgender/transexual can also be heterosexual. For example, a man becomes a woman and dates men, like our much-loved Morganna Love.

Homosexual/Gay: Sexually attracted to people of one’s own sex. Mostly used to describe men, although it can be used for women as well.